pit´-qu-ni, ua-qí-la-muk pit´-qu-ní, ta-gú-xa-muk pit´-qu-ní. (I) caught none, fox (I) caught none, bear (I) caught none. The following narrative of personal exploit was given to Dr. W. J. Hoffman by “Pete,” a Shoshoni chief, during a visit of the latter to Washington, in 1880. The sketch, Figure 136, was drawn by the narrator, and the following explanation of characters will be sufficient interpretation to render the figures intelligible. [Illustration: FIG. 136.--Shoshoni horse raid.] _a._ Pete, a Shoshoni chief. _b._ A Nez Percés Indian, one of the party from whom the horses were stampeded, and who wounded Pete in the side with an arrow. _c._ Hoof marks, showing course of stampede. _d._ Lance, which was captured from the Nez Percés. _e_, _e_, _e_. Saddles captured. _f._ Bridle captured. _g._ Lariat captured. _h._ Saddle-blanket captured. _i._ Body-blanket captured. _j._ Pair of leggings captured. _k._ Three single legs of leggings captured. Figure 137, copied from Schoolcraft, IV, p. 253, Pl. 32, is taken from the shoulder-blade of a buffalo, found on the plains in the Comanche country of Texas. No. 5 is a symbol showing the strife for the buffalo existing between the Indian and white races. The Indian (1), presented on horseback, protected by his ornamented shield and armed with a lance, kills a Spaniard (3), the latter being armed with a gun, after a circuitous chase (6). His companion (4), armed with a lance, shares the same fate. [Illustration: FIG. 137.--Comanche drawing on shoulder-blade.] Figure 138 is taken from the winter count of Battiste Good for the year 1853-’54. He calls the year Cross-Bear-died-on-the-hunt winter. [Illustration: FIG. 138.--Cross-Bear’s death.] The “travail” means, they moved; the buffalo, to hunt buffalo; the bear with mouth open and paw advanced, cross-bear. The involute character frequently repeated in Battiste’s record signifies pain in the stomach and intestines, resulting in death. In this group of characters there is not only the brief story, an obituary notice, but an ideographic mark for a particular kind of death, a noticeable name-totem, and a presentation of the Indian mode of transportation. The word “travail” appearing above, as given by the interpreter, requires explanation. It refers to the peculiar sledge which is used by many tribes of Indians for the purpose of transportation. It is used on the surface of the ground when not covered with snow, even more than when snow prevails. The word is more generally found in print in the plural, where it is spelled “travaux” and sometimes “travois.” The etymology of this word, which has not yet been found in any Indian language, has been the subject of considerable discussion. The present writer considers it to be one of the class of words which descended in corrupted form from the language of the Canadian voyageurs, and that it was originally the French word “traineau,” with its meaning of sledge.